According to the host of TCM, Peter Lorre hated his material in this so much he took to drinking heavily every day. So much that the director had to schedule all of Lorre's scenes in the early morning so he could get a decent shoot. I don't see why Lorre hated it so much, I really liked it.
shareI had recorded this from TCM and I watched it today. And I heard the same thing about Lorre hating the script and he was drinking.
I enjoyed the film. It was a little different and had some twists and turns and it actually ended differently to how I was hoping. I was really rooting for his character, Janos, to succeed. But I really liked the film. I like Peter Lorre. It's his voice and his eyes. And I think he's a fine actor.
Too bad because he was brilliant! One of his best roles...which is saying a lot.
Life sucks, then you're reincarnated
By November of 1940, when Lorre made this movie, the actor had been in Hollywood for over five years, and he was profoundly frustrated. According to Stephen D. Youngkin's fine biography "The Lost One: A Life of Peter Lorre", several prestigious productions planned for Lorre failed to materialize,* and he felt trapped in low budget B films. Some would say Lorre was short sighted and ungrateful, but he had been hailed as a major discovery full of potential for top-flight, distinguished productions when he arrived from Europe, only to be repeatedly disappointed with how the Hollywood star system of the time worked.
Things improved for Lorre when he signed on at Warner Brothers during the 40's; he was happier with the most of the films he made there and he enjoyed the camaraderie amongst his co-workers. But his career fell into decline after the studio let him go in 1946. Although he worked steadily until his death, Lorre was a very disillusioned man, and he didn't really try to hide it.
* Two examples: Lorre sought the title role in the 1939 remake of "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" but Charles Laughton won the part; also, Lorre hoped to play Napoleon in a major production, first on Broadway then in Hollywood, but the writer engaged for the project couldn't produce a suitable script.
I too heard the TCM host explain that Lorre was so disappointed in being offered the script, which was so beneath him, that he became an alcoholic. The director had Lorre film all his scenes before 8:00 A.M. which was when Lorre supposedly started to misbehave.
According to TCM, Lorre didn't care for his part very much and in the process of making the film loaded up on booze in order to complete this stinker! Sad, because i thought he did a adequate job considering he was no Robert Taylor in the looks department. He reminded me of a little curmudgeon that you would want to pick and hug or at least squeeze his ample cheeks and talk baby talk with.